10 Life Lessons From Fyodor Dostoevsky (Existentialism)

[@PhilosophiesforLife]

Fyodor Dostoevsky says “It takes something more than intelligence to act intelligently”. We hope that you enjoyed this video and for more videos to help you find success and happiness using ancient philosophical wisdom, don’t forget to subscribe. Thanks so much for watching.

[@hiraraton6979]

Can you talk about franz kafka

[@marchowe1629]

It was okay - neglected to dwell sufficiently on the fact that Dostoyevsky found the panacea to all of life's dilemmas in the Christian faith.

[@ryanarwood2317]

Are you familiar with Sigma. Frederick Nietzsche ubermensch is Sigma. How can you combine the two. Make a video with both breakdowns

[@mariejimpowerful]

It takes the emotional intelligence, not only the one from the brain!

[@omaraboal-azm8705]

" The mystery of human existence lies not only in staying alive but in finding something to live for " fyodor Dostoevsky

[@ivanti7433]

Wow

[@nrs6956]

He dealt with timeless problems of life, still relevant today.

[@jimmyhalperin7792]

Bro, nothing has changed in mucho millenia

[@jackwebb3757]

Were they not people?

[@aslansquotes]

*_📌"Nothing in this world is harder than speaking the truth, nothing easier than flattery." -- Fyodor Dostoevsky_*

[@ShannonJacobs0]

The original business model of KZbin stank, but at least the ads were reasonable. New flood of invasive, repetitive, and offensive ads are EVIL. Google is now fully dedicated to doing any evil that seems profitable. And censoring complaints, too.

[@Madasin_Paine]

​@@ShannonJacobs0 I think a few deciding reasons these ads from Y T exist 1 Encourage people not to watch them and pay for their service beyond selling the clues to their life. The other is to make you hate these companies that advertise and their characters. Also, these ads are there to make us less than human. No doubt Y T somehow uses these ads for psychological research Note that the worst ads are for channels offering intellectual value not valued by TPTB that alter YT AI. Such channels are more likely demonetized. Thus they are like an infestation of a pest to the channel producer. Bottom line. Like 99c store, the lowest low is a revenue stream, when a tiny number is magnified by an enormous nonstop number. Like raindrops flooding rivers. For the asset caste, there inno such thing as too much, only the suicidal genocidal ecocidal NEVER ENOUGH, thus the opposite LIFE Dostoevsky aspired to and teaches, still. He lives! 1 certain physical death isn't enough for human kind. A capacity, a taste for reading, gives access to whatever has already been discovered by others. It is the key, to the already solved problems. And not only so. It gives a relish, a facility, for successfully pursuing the [yet] unsolved ones. - President Abraham Lincoln By three methods we may learn wisdom. First, by reflection which is noblest Second, by imitation, which is the easiest AND Third, by experience, which is the bitterest. - Confucius Wise men learn by other men's mistakes, fools by their own. - author unknown Show me a person that hasn't made a mistake, AND I'll show you a person that's never made a decision. - author unknown SO. Surely God would not have created such a being as man . . . to exist only for a day! No, no, man was made for immortality. ~ President Abraham Lincoln Only that thing is free which exists by the necessities of its own nature, AND is determined in its actions by itself alone. - Benedict de Spinoza

[@paulrichardson2578]

🎉

[@TommyPickIes]

That's profound

[@djquinn11]

Your post was awesome, you must be a very wise and intelligent person, and I’m not saying that to simply flatter you.

[@jimmyhalperin7792]

"The meaning of life is life itself." Good one

[@rheacelis2092]

Brothers Karamazov tells it all! A must read❤

[@feralhamster2429]

Love life more than its meaning. Really deep deep one.

[@WhiteDove73-888]

After the first few phrases of Crime and Punishment I was hooked!

[@antidepressant11]

This is above average impressive. I never got that much out of reading those books. So much wisdom. Deserves a million views.

[@Madasin_Paine]

You may find that rereading or reviewing something deep,10 20 years later, is NOT the same the second time. It's like one was asleep or unable to see. Something else dominated awareness. Need? Compassion? Wisdom? One has hopefully changed for the better but maybe one hasn't and in some way wasted decades of theirs most precious, LIFE LIVING TIME. Most LIFE LIVING TIME is sold or repaid to the asset and OTHER sado masochistic dysfunctional co-dependents. People as such, sitting "pretty" may appear indomitable to gain any useful insight or salvation from their profligacy. Indomitable Ignorance Indomitable Arrogance Indomitable Unaccountably Indomitable Indifference Life in THEIR bubble isn't so easy to maintain appearances, especially within looking in the mirror unpolished or not . Vanity, (en)titles, and dis-ease of polyhabitual addictions. Global PPP Party Addicts P ower P erversions of care & Nature & Its Immutable Laws P rotection Rackets Exploit Caste Hooked On THEIR M.E.D.S. Kaskistocracy on DOPE M oney E entertainment D rugs S exploitation All that complicates or makes interminable these afflictions aforementioned, and more. Men think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one. - Charles Mackay, Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, 1841

[@raskolnikov1461]

Absolute undisputed genius writer ❤ Characters have so much life it’s always a compelling read. His heroes and heroines more alive, vivid and real than people nowadays. Thank you Russia for Mr Dostoyevsky ❤

[@ShannonJacobs0]

The original business model of KZbin stank, but at least the ads were reasonable. New flood of invasive, repetitive, and offensive ads are EVIL. Google is now fully dedicated to doing any evil that seems profitable. And censoring complaints, too.

[@OLGA_DV]

👍🤝❤ Россия, Дальний Восток

[@hanvour]

Never knew that Dostoevsky’s books and philosophy are so true to the human conditions and to the wisdom in its salvation. I can confirm that it completely reflects the conclusions of my learning of Buddhism through the years. Thanks to this video, I can feel at ease now to embark on reading “Crime and Punishment.”

[@CaIeb1]

Dostoevsky was a devout Christian

[@ElonMuskrat-my8jy]

​@@CaIeb1Orthodox Christian

[@WhatsWrongWithTheStreet]

​@@ElonMuskrat-my8jyNo less devout.

[@ElonMuskrat-my8jy]

@@WhatsWrongWithTheStreet I was clarifying.

[@kingoimkenya]

Well done. This lesson summarizes the teachings in Dostoevsky's work and beliefs very methodically.

[@JoseVargas-bj1wd]

Enjoyed listening to Crime and Punishment audiobook. Very insightful and so revealing of what human nature is like.

[@markdavidignacio9073]

A new video that I'll write in my journal. Thank you as always.

[@waynekasmar4401]

I haven't yet read any Dostoevsky, but I have read a lot of Swedenborg. Dostoevsky read a lot of him too.... and it shows big time.

[@heatherwright3953]

I think I am in the early steps of growing up for the first time and not just growing older threw all others that abused me into such memory loss of a entire 45 year life. It is said that the most important tools to survival it is learning which comes from being allowed to fail. In my youth I had to be the good little girl that is seen not heard . Now I am dealing with the mess left behind . An awakening with no relation if you will .

[@Grimenoughtomaketherobotcry]

It might help to check Anna Runkle or Patrick Teahan's channels, if you haven't already done so. Good luck!

[@zsofiabacso1921]

Wish you good luck on your journey Heather Wright! I know this good girl type, you described well, need to be seen as good but not heard (I experienced it as be nice and comfortable and if you cant just hide it or fake smth else that dont bother the others)

[@viktorlafontaine6222]

Thank you for sharing. This 10 lesson from Dostojewski were very helpful to remain us how to be efficient and strong.

[@Hi-xs7wm]

♥

[@djquinn11]

Is Dostojewski an antiseptic comment? Grow up and stop hating.

[@SoloMotivation]

*HOW TRUE IS THIS* 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 If you are working on something that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.

[@ryanarwood2317]

More than intelligence to act intelligently. Sense of it all.

[@Consciously-curious]

Thank you soo much team. U all are amazing people. 🕺

[@danielagazzoli9889]

Thank you so much for this wonderful message!

[@bakhtiyardaukeev9448]

Thank you for the video. I truly enjoyed listening

[@kypie8]

Beautiful & very interesting video! 💝Thank you for creating & posting this

[@nancysalgado1095]

I loved this video and took a lot from it. Thank you so much

[@dmtdreamz7706]

So the value of Dostojevskij is that it shows you the fluidity of consciousness. That's one of the key values, just the fact that you get to change states and change into very radically different states. That's a huge eye-opening experience. Do not underestimate the value of that. That alone right there will change your whole life. To be able to pop out of your life and look back upon it as though it was all an imagined hallucination. That's what it happens to be imagining right now. The next second who knows what it could imagine. It can imagine anything it wants but it just so happens that it keeps imagining something consistent so that we can get a sense of reality.

[@danu6718]

Stunning. I love this video. Thank you.

[@origaminoh8995]

Thanks!

[@AppleCinnamon1]

What a great video. Thanks for posting it.

[@natalya9821]

Thank you! Hello from Moscow! Subscribed. Shared with my friends.

[@natalinaconidi6313]

So much love for Fiodor and Saint Petersbororough

[@natalinaconidi6313]

Spasiba

[@Fiction_Beast]

Finally, Mr D! Great video!

[@Etrehumain123]

Yes I had this question, when people tell you (usually loved ones) that you are destined for greater things, how to react to that? It's impossible to believe but in the same time you would feel ashamed to miss out opportunity to do something. Having a stable life is already an accomplishment in itself, isn't it?

[@ryanarwood2317]

I would take it as an insult. What is greater? I am stable and it's nobodies business especially, those with fake flattery and free compliments. And those that tell you what they think you want to here. You can take for granted that family will say something like that whether you are poor or rich.

[@doeeyeddevil4896]

I like the old saying, “People’s opinions of you aren’t your business,” therefore they don’t matter! You can feel glee that you are ever inspiring to your loved ones & be gracious. However you can’t allow them to set the bar too high for you, for if you find yourself falling short of that standard you might feel not good enough or not take pride in the difficulties that you have faced. I think your own value should be determined only by oneself. Always keep in check that ego though! I think my ego did in some way, help me eventually save myself from a toxic, domestically abusive relationship. I experienced criticism on levels unimaginable to most. Now that I am free of such harsh judgement, I am learning of my shadow self now. ❤ Life is a journey and there is much to learn!

[@ianwynne5483]

You can always prove them wrong.

[@raskolnikov1461]

If you an exceptional person no matter what people say it will not stop you. Pain will not stop you, traumas will not stop you but instead suffering will play a character building role. You will be solid on your own path. Russians are very strong minded people. Their literature is deep and heeling like no other ❤

[@trumurray8033]

I am being pulled down by my family (husband and son) my personality is being attacked, apparently I am too “aggressive” and I honestly don’t think I am. It is hard to hold on when your entire world is been pulled out from under you!!

[@reynardus1359]

"Exposed to misery and injustice of his time"???. Guess what, his works are timeless because many of us exposed to misery and injustice of our time.

[@AbenteuerLeben69]

Genial auf den Punkt gebracht 😀

[@CGMaat]

Thank Alan …..love your presentation !

[@Kellie-c6k]

And that it is our relationship with God which needs improving.. more then anything else and this includes ourselves....and that knowledge leads us out of ignorance...as facts on the ground in truth..and in view of this ...what really gains our respect of it and what is lodges in our hearts... sincerely

[@friedrichnietzsche2557]

My inspiration!!!

[@NjonjoNdehi]

Still slowly reading Crime and Punishment here in Kenya. My bro is a huge fan of Dostoevsky. Borrowed his copy.

[@ElonMuskrat-my8jy]

Check out his other major novels if you can. I also highly recommend Notes From the Underground, Dream of a Ridiculous Man and White Nights.

[@leopemberton5439]

Life is always NOW so we always have meaning Being gives meaning

[@pedrovelez3591]

Thank you

[@byron8657]

From the Psychologist Victor Frankl a survivor of the Nazis concentration camp wrote about how he survived inside the horrible things in the camp He said they can strip away all your honour your dignity your freedom and personal belongings but one thing they cannot take away from you its your Power of Choice! K

[@MrAnindya]

Beautiful bro❤...I just loved it

[@kinggameshd]

keep spreading kindness

[@velamentation]

I've studied a lot from u , thank you

[@Kellie-c6k]

In our actions we should not rush in or ignore the truth as passive by standards...and the middle ground is always important...to address the balance

[@Brainsteve]

Selaw from Kurdistan... 🎉

[@claudiodeugenio]

Very good list with insightful descriptions. There seem to be a lot of Viktor Frankl and Arthur Schopenhauer in Dostoevsky‘s thoughts.

[@louismaberry9683]

OUTSTANDING JOB!

[@pistonpoppinmama]

What a great video! I am going to read Crime & Punishment. Thank you!

[@patrickemmett6269]

you'll be glad you did!

[@angelinavysotskaya7847]

That is amazing... Why i never knew this before

[@acharyajamesoermannspeaker6563]

Good stuff. Jim Tully stole one of a two-volume set of Dostoevsky, and was EXTREEMLY upset with himself he did not have enough sense to steal both volumes. Tully is a good forgotten author influenced by Dostoevsky. The version I read about the firing squad was that it was planned from the beginning not to kill the prisoners, but rather inflict much mental pain and punish them psychologically.

[@Kellie-c6k]

In other words we should look always into original resources as much as we may...and Ultimately speaking our relationship with God

[@thistledownz.2982]

The virtue of docility is helpful.

[@GemSugar17]

I love his view of life

[@ElonMuskrat-my8jy]

It's Orthodox

[@Godsglory777]

Dostoyevsky may have been an existentialist only in the sense that he highly encouraged the human to take their freedom and direct it back to Christ. He was more of an Christian existentialist, or just Christian because historical Christianity always promoted the freedom of the human will. Edit: great video BTW

[@rusty_grove]

Until very recently, Freedom and Christianity were antonyms.

[@Godsglory777]

Is that so? Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage Leviticus 25:10 And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout [all] the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family Psalms 119:45 And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts Isaiah 61:1 The spirit of the Lord GOD [is] upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to [them that are] bound; Jeremiah 34:8 [This is] the word that came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people which [were] at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty unto them Jeremiah 34:15 And ye were now turned, and had done right in my sight, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbour; and ye had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name Ezekiel 46:17 But if he give a gift of his inheritance to one of his servants, then it shall be his to the year of liberty; after it shall return to the prince: but his inheritance shall be his sons' for them Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised Romans 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God Corinthians-1 8:9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak Corinthians-2 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord [is], there [is] liberty. Galatians 2:4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only [use] not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed And I got more of those in case your still not convinced. Both the old and new testament have always proclaimed the message of freedom and liberty.

[@rusty_grove]

“What you do speaks so loudly I cannot hear what you are saying”. Christian authoritarianism is the rule, not the exception, now and historically. - Who opposed gay marriage or even interracial marriage? - Who is opposed to abortion even if the mother's life is endangered or the fetus is not gonna make it? - Who is opposed to contraceptives? - Who is opposed to legal marihuana and drug consumption? The only freedom Christians approve of is whatever their religion considers as moral, which is not freedom at all.

[@ElonMuskrat-my8jy]

​@@rusty_groveHow can you justify morality or freedom in an atheist worldview? Your arbitrary opinion?

[@ArmchairRamb0]

Never take pride in Welath! Thanks for a swell vid!

[@aayushimanglik]

i love dostoevsky🌷🗣

[@FaithfulMel]

Accept life as it is

[@splendourjacob557]

Thanks, good morning

[@origaminoh8995]

Love so much your deep but clear voice :))

[@thegeorgemav]

amazing!

[@x_MrYAYA_x]

❤

[@mbdogar2354]

Excellent

[@innov4u]

Great presentation

[@TheGidMan]

Though I like literature and these writers as well but when I read Gita I realized that I don't need to read other writers or novels if I am looking for real life philosophy because Gita is ocean of everything writers like Dostoevsky or Kafka or Tolstoy or any such writers

[@janettem2432]

Came to the same conclusion

[@fraidoonw]

great episode! thanks!

[@dmtdreamz7706]

On a certain level, we have a Dostojevskij in our brain, the neurochemicals that show up in flow: so dopamine, norepinephrine, anandamide, endorphins, and serotonin. If you were to try to cocktail the street drug version of that, right, you're trying to blend like heroin and speed and coke and acid and weed- and point is, you can't do it. It turns out Dostojevskij can cocktail all of 'em at once, which is why people will prefer flow to almost any experience on Earth. It's our favorite experience. It's the most addictive experience on Earth. Why? 'Cause it cocktails five or six of the largest pleasure drugs that Dostojevskij can produce. We're all capable of so much more than we know. That is a commonality across the board. And one of the big reasons is we're all hardwired for flow, and flow is a massive amplification of what's possible for ourselves.

[@molesengmokgosi986]

amazing

[@nfragala]

I'm reading C&P now. Thanks for the vid!

[@om9670]

It's important to live a life rather than thinking about life...

[@Seekersofwisdom-dq9wc]

3:07 Dostoevsky's criticism of the toxic self-consciousness of his character Raskolnikov in the novel. The author believes that this type of self-centeredness prevents individuals from experiencing the beauty of compassion, empathy, and love. However, Raskolnikov's evolution throughout the story demonstrates that not all intellectuals are doomed to isolation. By finding joy in compassion and ultimately love, he overcomes his moral conflicts and discovers beauty in human connection. Dostoevsky emphasizes that the choice to let pride isolate oneself from society lies entirely with the individual. Therefore, he asserts that an intellectual who allows pride to create distance will inevitably live in misery and sorrow due to their own actions.

[@PippyPan]

Ahh Nietzsche, you missed the Forrest for the trees! A grand life requires much focus and attention to maintain. Thus, much of life is indeed passed or missed in said requirement.

[@monicanudelman]

👏👏👏👏Thank you😍😍

[@Kellie-c6k]

Today I want to expound on Kneecha and Dovskyetsky...as Crux of this matter and spiritually and how facts and knowledge coexist...the first question is..why should we believe them?

[@wakefieldsykes2383]

Loved it ( have to try to get through C&P again- all those Russian names!)

[@bazhumke4040]

haha it is worth it to struggle through the raskolnikov/rodya/rodion romanovitch difficulties

[@ElonMuskrat-my8jy]

Wait til you read Demons or Brothers Karamazov.

[@jonathancortez5179]

Bravo 👏 👏 👏 👏

[@BlackFishNow]

dosto is the goat

[@420DOTcom7]

: : ) very good life lessons

[@nanashinde9513]

Hon Alan sir may undiscovered facts opened in a genius way it is diff thinking totally from common principles should understand deeply to apply are any books written by Dostoevsky thnx very much nice

[@KingJ1397-v8q]

Dostoevsky one of the best Christian philosophers

[@sabirsharif8767]

Thanks

[@Kellie-c6k]

For example..if someone tells you everything that goes on in your life is down to you or your own fault...why should we believe them personally or in respect of this subject matter..or invert this onto ourselves or for self improvement?

[@saeedahmed1261]

Good video,compliments.

[@tobyfitzpatrick3914]

4:48 What does "WELATH" mean? Did he not have spellchecker back then..?

[@christinemartin63]

Wow ... terrific channel! I just found it. Curious about this topic. Naahh ... these ideas won't work. Not only does it rain on the just and unjust alike, the steep and thorny path of virtue will lead to much unhappiness because to be just in an unjust world is to be trampled upon and exploited repeatedly--not exactly a recipe for serenity and joy. Best be indifferent and stoic in an effort to preserve and value one's self.

[@familyglover2997]

Your comment show how reason always requires a trade off. I don’t know whether there’s a right answer to all these questions, but there is value in considering all of the many different perspectives. Thanks for your insightful comment.

[@Davlavi]

pretty cool.

[@shineyourlightwithraz]

Great..

[@rickkuhn6577]

Dostoyevsky's hope was in the resurrection read all the way to the end of Brothers

[@riccardo-964]

EXPREINCNE LIFE AT ITS FULLEST!

[@agc796]

You cannot compare philosophy with Religion. Truly a humanist comparison.

[@KingJ1397-v8q]

He was a Christian

[@tom-kz9pb]

Sometimes religiously inclined people like Dostoevsky or Kierkegaard are considered as "existentialist", but that is probably outdated. You cannot really be "existentialist" until you have to confront a universe devoid of "meaning" in any human sense, which also involves rejection of most basic assumptions of human religions. The later existentialists tended to be irreligious. The lingering confusion on that point owes primarily to the fuzzy definition of the word "existential".

[@troll707]

So many words are fuzzy today in politics and philosophy

[@Kellie-c6k]

It is said that God may keep us ignorance if we chose not to change our ways which can lead to our own destruction or stray from the path...what this means in the first place is who is our friend and who should we direct our worship to?...would be believable....and we're all attributes stem from....and all questions of chicken and the egg...as which came first...or crossing these road's....and who isn't going to hold us back...so we can truly move forward is that God is our friend

[@fipbip2794]

Dostoevsky and Kierkegaard seem to both come across as nihilistic because of their views on suffering when I read comment threads on videos about them but I think people are confusing hopeful optimism in times of tragedy for longing to live in tragedy. I wish this if anything could get through. I've had problems in life like everyone else but I have felt peace when realizing I'm in cruddy situations by turning to the simple appreciations I carry, relationships I get to experience and knowing how important they are. I know life's not easy and I do pay attention to that aspect of it but it keeps me honest about what really matters and there's always peace in that.

[@arthurmorgan2781]

Calling Dostoevsky a nihilist is a an offensive at the least

[@fipbip2794]

@@arthurmorgan2781 it's a shallow interpretation imho

[@arthurmorgan2781]

@@fipbip2794 well Ik that but imho you either u haven’t read any of his work or u don’t know about his life it’s like me calling Nietzsche a Christian advocate when u call Dostoevsky nihilist

[@fipbip2794]

@@arthurmorgan2781 well that was my point

[@zachsmith3376]

In the movie "loro" a guy tells ex-italian PM "altruism is the best way to be selfish". That upset me for some reason.

[@Kellie-c6k]

If you want to be...."a better man"

[@thistledownz.2982]

Reading Crime and Punishment now...or rather having it read to me.

[@33parthasarathighosh66]

There is a beauty in connection

[@dylanhawkins9804]

You know he is wise: default condition is evil, he sees the fall of the world and in his heart.

[@Kellie-c6k]

This is why it is said you shouldn't always just st do what...your father's do and there tradition's...(do)... especially when your guided out of ignorance and with the facts and what truth evades you....

[@ShanksTyata]

I haven't read Dostoevsky, can anyone give me any starter advice where to start? Is it difficult to read?

[@michaelleblanc7283]

Try Libra-Vox (audio) & Gutenberg (text) libraries.

[@pendejo6452]

It is not, I recommend reading notes of the underground first, then crime and punishment. the former kind of explains his philosophy and the latter is an example, that's how I think of it.

[@ferminsapit9818]

Notes from House of the Dead

[@personalexperience3637]

C & P - p. 1 ...keep reading til the end

[@ElonMuskrat-my8jy]

Dream of a Ridiculous Man

[@davidwalker5054]

No one can look into the depth of the human Soul with the insight of Dostoevsky he knew we can be kind and compassionate one minute and wallow in the cesspit of depravity the next. There is no black or white. This or that. Or cardboard cutouts

[@ElonMuskrat-my8jy]

He was familiar with the Orthodox ascetic tradition and met a living saint in his day, Ambrose of Optina.